Our project, “The Secret Garden,” explores the space that starlings inhabit in the current landscape of avian ecology in the UK. The songbird population is in huge decline and, as a result, is on the Red List. Preventing them from becoming regionally extinct (UK) is essential in these times of urgency.

 

An abundance of cattle leads to the loss of permanent pasture and reduces foraging opportunities for starlings and other birds. Additionally, the use of agrochemicals on grasslands affects the number of leatherjackets, which are the main prey for starlings. This could be one of the major reasons for their decline. 

 

Our activities affect not only the population of starlings but also their behavior. Such as these birds have also adapted to the noisy landscape of cities by communicating through higher-pitched songs. This could make it difficult for birds to communicate with other populations of their species.

Through extended reality, we aim to communicate these urgent issues by inviting our audience to embody a starling.